Domestic electric water heater



Jan. 7, 1941. s Q. EWING DOMESTIC ELECTRIC WATER HEATER Inventor Jan. 7, 1941. s EWING DOMESTIC ELECTRIC WATER HEATER Filed Sept. 27, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates broadly to water heaters, and more particularly to such heaters as are designed for domestic use in the heating of water in a storage tank.

Particularly, the invention has reference to an electric heater of this type, and, generally, the objects of the invention are to improve upon such type of heaters now known and in use; and the invention together with its objects and advantages being best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view illustrating the application of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the heater taken substantially on line 3--3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional View taken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, it will be seen that the numeral 5 indicates an ordinary or conventional domestic boiler used as a storage tank supplied with water through the medium of a pipe 6, and from which the water is withdrawn through a pipe I.

My improved heater indicated generally by the reference numeral 8 is arranged preferably as shown in Fig. 1.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the heater 8 comprises a casing 9 flanged at the top and bottom thereof as at H) and II respectively.

For the top of the casing 9 there is provided a header [2 equipped with a flange l3 through the medium of which and bolts M, the header is secured to the flanged end ll! of the casing 9. The header I3 is connected with the boiler 5 through the medium of a pipe 14'. For the bottom end of the casing 9 there is provided a header 15 that is also equipped with a flange I6 through the medium of which and bolts ll, said header I5 is secured to the flanged end ll of the casing 9.

It will be understood that in actual practice suitable gaskets will be interposed between the pairs of flanges l and I3 and II and IS.

The header I is connected with the boiler 5 through the medium of a pipe l8 so that when there is no water being drawn out through the pipe 1, the water passing from the boiler 5 through the pipe I8 into the heater 8 and heated during its passage through the heater 8, will pass through the pipe l4 into the upper part of the boiler 5, it being apparent that the colder water at the bottom of the boiler 5 passes into the heater 8.

The bottom header l5 for the heater casing is provided with a drain cock H) as shown.

Arranged in the casing 9 of the heater 8 is 5 a spiral vane or rib assembly 20 that fits somewhat snugly within the casing 9 and serves to cause the water to take a somewhat circuitous path in flowing upwardly through the heater casing thus insuring maximum heating of the water.

Also arranged within the casing 9 of the heater is an electric heating unit indicated generally by the reference numeral 2|.

The heating unit 2| comprises an elongated tubular casing 22 that is closed at one end and at its opposite end is open and provided with a flange 23 through the medium of which and bolts 24 said casing is secured to the crown of the header l2 as shown in Fig. 3.

Arranged within the casing 22 is a series of circumferentially spaced strips 25 of mica or other suitable material. These strips extend substantially for the full length of the casing 22 and are separated by arcuate elongated strips 26 25 of insulating material, such as asbestos.

The mica strips 25 are provided with longitudinal series of perforations to accommodate the convolutes of a spirally wound resistance wire 21 that, as shown in Fig. 4, is confined within the insulating casing formed by the aforementioned strips 26 of asbestos.

The terminals of the resistance wire 21 are electrically connected as at 28 with the wires 29 of a conventional electric cord 38.

The cord 30 is provided with the usual plug 3| to be engaged with an electrical receptacle or other suitable electric outlet 32 for supplying current to the resistance wire 21, and as suggested in Figs. 1 and 3.

It will thus be seen that the electrical heating unit 2| will serve to heat the water feeding from the boiler 5 through the pipe [8 and as said water passes upwardly through the heater 8 to return to the boiler 5 through the pipe I4.

From the above it will be seen that in actual practice, the heater can be readily connected to the boiler 'and the electric cord 30 readily connected to a suitable electric current supply and the water in its passage through the heater thor- 5Q oughly heated by the heat from the casing 22 of the heating unit 2|.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, utility, operation and advantages of an electric water heater of the character of the present invention will be had, without a ing unit arranged within said casing, and a spiral more detailed description thereof. rib assembly fitting snugly within the said casing,

Having thus described the invention, what is said rib contacting the internal wall of the casclaimed as new is: ing and being spaced from the heating unit to In a water heater, a casing adapted to conprovide an unobstructed annular space between 5 train water and equipped at the top and bottom the rib and the heating unit.

thereof with removable headers, an electric heat S Q. EWING. 

